Valrug tactfully left the room after receiving his mother's meaningful stare.
Yet somehow, he felt the urge to sulk. Was it not his birthday today?
Valrug sighed and clutched the blueprint to his chest. Atleast he finally received something useful. The rest of the nobility kept giving him expensive clothes and jewelries.
His family wasn't poor but the gifts he received still lacks substance. They were useful for an ordinary child of nobility but Valrug was different.
He preferred things that were useful to him like books or magical tools. He likes making things. He found joy in inventing new things and his little creations, no matter how insignificant were still the results of his hard work.
A person was bound to feel proud for accomplishing something.
Looking at the blueprint that Ellendise gave him, Valrug's sour mood vanished and was replaced by excitement.
Valrug was just like his elder cousin, Nitense. He didn't like social gathering nor did he found high society a fun place. Nobility hid their faces behind fake smiles and flattering words while judging you behind your back.
At a young age, he was able to realize this when he heard one of the wealthy ladies speaking about how pitiful his father was for marrying a half-dead incompetent woman.
Valrug was his mother's only child and afterwards, her mother was no longer able to give birth and suddenly fell into a deep sleep that ate away her mother's body.
'Poor child,' they told him while whispering in a loud voice and gossiping about how pitiful he was and how unlucky his father was.
He was still a child when he had heard this. Not just once, twice or thrice...
But it repeated over thr past few years that his mother was sleeping. Eventuall, he got tired of all these people and immersed herself in the things that could take his mind away from all his problems.
With this, he found out happiness in creating inventions. No matter how small or big, how simple or complex, it was enough to make him happy.
He also took this opportunity to learn about his mother's condition. Why did she slept for so many years? Why?
Valrug often questioned who he should blame but even the doctors and mages that came and go were never able to find the source.
Eventually, his cousin came while he was in the middle of reading. He had been annoyed.
He wanted to be alone and reorganize his thoughts because he was getting nowhere.
Who would have thought that she would have the answer to everything?
Valrug could still remember his cousin's smile.
A smile that wasn't a smile yet somehow she was capable of pulling people's attention towards her side. There was a mysterious aura around her that made her stand out among everyone.
But he was tired of all the adults lying to him. What would a child who was a year younger than him, be able to do?
She looks too much like a high born lady from a wealthy family who has never known hardship.
What can she do?
"What would you do if I told you that I could wake up the Viscountess?"
A lie, it must be. This was the only thing going inside his mind when she said that.
But he was proven wrong and the end result left him crying like he was five year old again.
"Valrug, my dearest... Mother is sorry for making you suffer."
'I'm sorry...I'm soryy...I couldn't help you. You waited for so long..' Valrug wanted to tell her she didn't need to apologize. It wasn't her fault. In the first place, she was a victim of fate who was fated to live a cursed life.
A fairy's gift became her saving grace but it was robbed by a wicked woman.
Valrug's eyes darkened. The head maid had been punished thoroughly. His father may look like a strict and upright man but he was still a ruthless swordsman.
He took no pity when enforcing justice and punishing the sinners.
The head maid was a sinner who had deceived them for so many years and caused her mother to suffer for so many years.
A white eyed wolf who benefited from them and was not only ungrateful but also stole a fairy's gift from its rightful owner.
She was indeed a sinner.
Valrug smiled.
This world has no place for sinners. Those who had hurt her mother, he would remember all of their faces and graciously gift them each a present to their liking.
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When Ellendise was home, she recounted all of the steps she wanted to do in order to live a free life without headache.
Ellendise has managed to earn Valrug's favor and secure her position as his dearest cousin.
She has no intention on making him an enemy. Although he was young, Ellendise knew his personality well.
According to the novel, he rarely makes any appearance in high society because he was like any nerd who preferred the company of books and academic literature.
He was also fascinated in making inventions and magical tools. His genius mind in creating things caught the attention of the Tower Master and Valrug earned a steady backing as a tower mage.
He decided on this path because he was fed up of nobility and their schemes. He grew to hate any noble because of his mother's condition where he spent years being the subject of gossip and having the title of a half dead woman's child.
Ellendise knew the moment she first stood in his study room and heard him shout to go away... that he was already tainted from all the years he had carried the title of being pitiful.
Ellendise barely came at the right moment before he could truly fall.
Valrug in the novel hated nobles to the extent that he would ignore them and treat them much lesser than humans. Letia wasn't even spared by him.
Although she was pure and gentle, and was only the daughter of a baron, she was still a noble lady. Valrug was very civilized when speaking to her but it was obvious that he treated her like an annoyance.
"Lady Rhaine, a light mage isn't that rare. A lot of elves are light magic users but I suppose you don't know that considering that you act like a country bumpkin instead of a noble's child. Ah..High society is declining these days. Like dogs losing their breeding."
Ellendise could still remember these lines very well. The adult Valrug who was already the Scholar of Creations said this to the pure and gentle Letia without even glancing at her.
Truly a scu--
It was a good thing that the Valrug she met was still an eleven year old kid who could be corrected. Although it was wrong to manipulate people but Ellendise was no good girl.
She needed pieces to assemble her forces so she could live comfortably inside a castle with an impenetrable wall.
At the moment, she can only interact with four key figures. Letia, Valrug, her brother Nitense and the great alchemist Braham.
She would meet the others when she attends the academy but for now, she would prepare and cultivate her knowledge and skills.
Eiron Academy was outside the influence of the Empire. Although it was in the Harchen Empire's territory, it was owned by Chairman Bogett, a powerful grandmage who has taught countless of influential figures.
It can be said that many pillars of the empire studied in Eiron Academy and came out a winner.
Because it was a place where status didn't matter. Be it royalty, a duke or marquis.. the academy was a place where strength and knowledge equates your worth.
It was compulsory for children of nobility to attend the academy for two years. Commoners were also given the chance to attend and together with nobles, as long as they pass an examination, they were allowed to be students in the academy and given an equal opportunity to learn.
In that place, Ellendise would be able to gather her forces but that was also the place where the beginning of the plot would officially start...
Well, atleast according to the novel..
But this world has already deviated from the novel so Ellendise would prepare hard and prepare good for all the unexpected events that would enfold.
Cestine was only a minimal mistake but what should happen if something bigger had occured? The plot armor of the female lead was too strong and reality was different than mere texts written in papers.
Although her relationship with Letia was good at the moment, they might end up having a fall out if an unexpected variable were to arise.
Ellendise wasn't worried about the crown prince. Leopold, the brat wasn't worth her time. Letia would naturally be the one to correct him in his path while Ellendise would avoid him like the plague and silently recruit people on her side.
Valrug was merely the start. Nitense was an easy obstacle. Letia was too kind.
Braham was the only real problem..
But he was harmless as long as she doesn't do anything to offend him. Furthermore, she was 'blessed' and loved by Mortia so she has nothing to worry about except for his jealousy...
Cestine was still an unexpected variable but the fairy was very easy to please.
The other characters who were cannon fodders were still alive even though they should be dead, namely Countess Debora and Viscountess Ellie.
Ellendise was aware that this was reality, a world were every life has meaning. But as someone who was busy future planning, it was still hard for her to distinguish that this wasn't just a made up place from a novel and that these people surrounding her were all real.
Maybe she would learn to differentiate or maybe she won't. Either way, it wasn't easy for someone like her who was too deeply attached to her past.
Even though Ellendise has long declared that she would live in this body and live her life, it was still hard for her to erase Rianne's traces.
She had been Rianne for twenty eight long years. Compared to being Ellendise who was only ten years old right now, those twenty eight long years weren't easy and short.
The life she lived before became her foundation today so it would naturally take a long time before she lives the life of a completely different person.
Even now, Ellendise was being too cautious, much like Rianne who likes to plan everything.
But what could she do?
What else were her options?
She had almost died a few days ago because of an unknown mage. That was the first time her life had been threatened in this world.
The mage wasn't even serious when he performed his attack and was too sure that she would die or get heavily injured from the dozens of fireballs headed her way..
And all because she called him a punk.
Although Ellendise was calm at the surface, she was inwardly panicking inside.
She was only ten years old at the moment and she had almost died from fire. What if Ellendise hadn't practiced magic alone beforehand?
Would she have survived?
Just thinking about it made her feel cold inside.
She was in the body of a villainess but somehow...she almost died like some pitiful cannon fodder who offended a big shot.
Ellendise was frightened.
For the first time in this life, she felt a true sense of fear.
Even though days had passed, she was still rattled by what happened.
But weakness was something she couldn't afford.
For the next few days, Ellendise's schedule was filled too the brim. Aside from etiquette lessons, more subjects were added like management and politics.
She was learning things that wasn't suitable for a lady but Ellendise who was a modern woman felt that it was only right to familiarize herself with how this world works.
From arts to war tactics, she was busy soaking it all up that she rarely went outside. Of course, she still made sure to leave a free day every week were she could relax and practice magic.
This was also the day where Letia and Valrug would visit.
The two got acquainted through her.
Valrug was very vigilant at first but he soon realized that Letia was too dum-- that Letia was too innocent to be like those high born ladies.
Furthermore, she was the daughter of a baron and although she was a rare light mage, she needed to prove her worth first to be acknowledged by others.
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